Attachment for an artist&#39;s paint box



Oct. 17, 1961 Filed June 9, 1958 E. C. JOHNSON ATTACHMENT FOR AN ARTIST'S PAINT BOX 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 17, 1961 c, JOHNSON 3,004,363

ATTACHMENT FOR AN ARTIST'S PAINT BOX Filed June 9, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w 30 ss United This invention relates generally to an easel attachment to be used in combination with an artists paint box. More particularly, it relates to an easel attachment carrier that may be conveniently attached to an artists paint box to carry the artists canvases and to serve as an easel for the canvas during painting.

Currently, artists carry their paint boxes and canvases separately, with a separate easel. The standard canvases, mounted on a stiif backer, such as cardboard or plywood, are ordinarily too large to be carried in the paint box, and during painting, are set up on a separate easel. I have accordingly devised an attachment for the artists paint box, which enables the artist to carry his canvases with his paint box, as one bundle, and to use the same attachment as part of an easel, to be mounted on the inside of the paint box, and to be used with the cover or top of the paint box opened wide to its approximately perpendicular position. The paint-box-easel is set up on a stool, chair or other suitable support while the artist paints. My attachment has met with wide acceptance and approval from my artist friends, for its convenience, practicability, lightness of weight, and low cost of manufacture.

The attachment comprising my invention consists essentially of two parts: a carrier frame attached to the outside of an artists paint box comprising a pair of hooks with an adjustably slida-ble and rotatable rod to hold the canvases on the outside of the box and a second pair of supports mounted within the box, and cooperating with the same adjustable slidable rod to act as an easel on the outside of the box, to support the canvas inside the box during painting. When used as a carrier, a canvas is secured in the frame and the box may be opened or closed with the canvas in place. When the artist wishes to paint, he merely removes the canvas from the carrier frame on the outside, opens the paint box, places the canvas on the second pair of supports located within the box and secures the canvas in place by the same adjustable and slidable rod, which swivels or rotates to support the canvas on the outside or inside of the box, as desired. The material for making the attachment of my invention may be any metal or wood or a combination of metal and wood as desired.

For a more detailed description of the invention, reference is now made to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of my attachment as.

mounted on the outside of the paint box;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of my attachment as mounted on the outside of an artists paint box and carrying a canvas;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of my combined attachment as mounted on the inside of the artists paint box when used as an easel to support the canvas during painting, and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of my attachment while used as an easel for holding the canvas in the artists paint box.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS.

7 2 and 4, 1 denotes an artists standard size paint box of about 13" x 16 /2 x 6", and having a top and a floor 4. The canvas 2 is carried securely held in the carrier frame on the outside of top 5 of the box 1, as shown in FIG. 2, and it rests on the fingers 15 of the carrier frame 10.

tates atent O Patented Oct. 17, 1961 As shown in FIG. 1, the outside canvas carrier comprises a frame generally indicated at 10, which in turn comprises a hollow tubular element 12 having a transverse bar 14 welded to it at its bottom end thereof, as at 13. The transverse bar -14 extends equidistantly from the welding point 13 and is bent at each end to form fingers 15 terminating in hooks 16. The tubular element 12 is attached to the top 5 of the box 1 by clamps 17 and screws 19. A set screw 18 is provided within an appropriate bore through the wall of the tubular element 12 near its upper end.

An adjustable rod 20 is slidably and rotatably mounted within the tubular element 12 and is bent as at 25 to form an arm 27 terminating in hook 28. A sliding clamp 21 having a screw 22 is mounted on the arm 27. Ann 27 with its hook 28 together with the sliding clamp 21 holds the canvas 2 at the top end, whether the canvas is being carried on the outside of the box, or mounted on easel inside the box.

To support the canvas on the easel on the inside of the paint box 1 each of the easel supports 30, as may be best seen in FIG. 3, comprises a rod having vertical sections 31 and 36 joined by a horizontal section 35 about a projecting bend 37 having an inclined slope 38. The vertical section 31 terminates in a fork 32 which rest on the floor 4 of the box 1, and which may be provided with a pair of rubber sleeves 33 to prevent their lateral motion once the canvas 2 is in place, as in FIG. 4. The vertical section 36 ends in a U-shaped clamp 34 to fit over the edge 3 of the paint box 1.

It will be understood that the canvas 2 is mounted for painting on the easel support 30, resting on the horizontal section 35 and is kept from sliding off by the projection 38, and of course, is held at the top by the swiveling arm 27 of the adjustable rod 20, carried on the frame 10, between the hook 28 and the adjustable clamp 22.

The application of my easel canvas carrier to practical use is very simple. (Thus, when the artist desires to paint, he removes the canvas 2 from the carrier frame 10 by loosening the screws 18 and 22. Thereafter, he opens up the box 1, rests the canvas 2 on the supports 30 placed somewhat apart, turns the adjustable rod 20 degrees so that the hook 28 extends once again over the edge of the canvas, and then fastens both screws 18 and 22. For convenience, the box may be placed on a rock, chair, or stool. With that done, the artist is ready to paint.

I claim:

In combination with an artistspaint box, an attachment therefor for supporting a canvas on the outside of said box when closed, and on the inside thereof when opened comprising a carrier frame attached to the outside of said box comprising an elongated tube secured by clamps to the outside of said box, a transverse bar welded to one end of said tube and extending equidistantly therefrom and terminating in supporting books at the bottom thereof, an adjustable rod slidably and rotatably mounted within said tube and having an arm terminating in a hook at the top thereof, a sliding clamp mounted on said arm, and a second pair of bottom supports mounted on the inside of said box cooperating with said adjustable rod and hook to support a canvas on the inside of the box while being painted.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,840,595 Moore Ian. 12, 1932 2,503,807 Dolas Apr. 11, 1950 2,586,524 Dussardier Feb. 19, 1952 2,648,933 Brooks Aug. 18, 1953 

